For 30 years, ECPAT-USA has been at the forefront of the fight against child sexual abuse and exploitation. To that end, the organization has been contributing to a new piece of legislation, the "Strengthening Transparency and Obligations to Protect Children Suffering from Abuse and Mistreatment" (STOP CSAM) Act of 2023”, which aims to strengthen the protection of child victims of sexual abuse and imposes greater accountability and transparency requirements on large technology companies.

Bobbie Rubin is celebrated as a primary initiator of the movement to protect children from sexual exploitation in the United States. A longtime activist in Presbyterian Women USA and in Girl Scouts USA, she became an early supporter of ECPAT-USA, playing a crucial role in the organization’s development.

James Dold is the Founder & CEO of Human Rights for Kids (HRFK) a D.C.-based non-profit organization dedicated to promoting and protecting the human rights of children in the United States. A central focus of HRFK’s work is advocating in state legislatures and courts for comprehensive justice reform for children consistent with the U.N. Convention on the Rights of the Child and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.

Councilwoman Mariann Billie made history when she became the first female Council Representative for the Big Cypress Indian reservation. She is a member of the Seminole Tribe of Florida and a proud mother of two children.

Osceola was elected Chairman of the Seminole Tribe in 2016 and re-elected to a full four-year term in May of 2019. He is the seventh elected Chairman since the Tribe adopted its constitution in 1957.

ECPAT-USA commends Congress and President Biden for passing and signing into law the reauthorization of The Trafficking Victims Protection Act (TVPA). TVPA funds critical programs that support survivors of human trafficking and provides the legal framework for the U.S. to combat, monitor, and prosecute human trafficking.

ECPAT-USA applauds President Biden for signing the Eliminating Civil Statutes of Limitations for Child Sex Abuse Victims Act of 2022, S.3103 into law. Introduced by Senators Richard Durbin (D-IL) and Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), this critical piece of legislation eliminates civil statutes of limitations for sexual abuse offenses.

Children across the United States continue to face harm from online grooming for sexual exploitation, and it is imperative to increase anti-trafficking efforts by equipping schools with the necessary resources to protect children. Education about exploitation, recruitment, grooming, and consent must be taught at every level in age-appropriate and culturally sensitive ways that ensure inclusivity and understanding. ECPAT-USA urges the implementation of a state-wide human trafficking prevention curriculum within schools for students, educators, and school personnel.